Toe slipper



Dec. 8, 1925. 1.564.607 G. MEIER TOE SLIPPER Filed July 2, 1923 Mani,

A TTOR/VEYS Patented Dec. 8, 1925.

UNH'IED STATES GENEVIEVE MEIER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

TOE SLIPPER.

Application filed. July 2, 1923.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Gnnnvrnvn 'MEIER, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Toe Slippers, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to improvements in toe slippers of the type used by ballet dancers, and it consists in the combinations, constructions, and arrangements herein described and claimed.

The ordinary toe slipper in use among professional dancers is made with a reenforcing member at its toe to enable the dancers to sustain the weight of the body on the toe. To this end, it has been customary to provide a reenforcing member in the nature of an inner cap made up of canvas and glue. When the slipper is first used, this reenforcing member renders the slipper stiff, and for this reason it is uncomfortable. Toe dancers generally knead this stiffening, until it becomes more pliable, and hence more comfortable. For a short time the toe slipper serves its purpose, but eventually it becomes too soft, and then it will not properly sustain the weight of the dancer.

An object of my invention is to provide a toe slipper which has suflicient stiffness to hold the weight of the dancer, but which, at the same time, is fairly resilient, so that it acts as a cushion, and thus makes the shoe far more comfortable.

A further object of my invention is to provide a toe slipper of the type described, which is provided with a combined stiffening member and cushioning member, but which is not bulky.

A further object of my invention is to provide a toe slipper of the type described, which can be made at relatively small cost,

and which will outwear the ordinary toe slipper.

Other objects and advantages will appear in the following specification, and the novel features of the invention will be particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

Serial No. 64:9,116.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, forming part of this invention, in which Figure l is a plan view of a stiiiening and cushioning rubber cap,

Figure 2 is a central longitudinal section through the cap,

Figure 3 is a side view of a slipper constructed according to my invention,

Figure 4 is a sectional view through the toe of the slipper,

Figure 5 is an enlarged sectional view on the line 55 of Figure 8,

Figure 6 is a similar sectional view on the line 66 of Figure 3, and

Figure 7 is a plan view of the lower sole.

In carrying out my invention, I provide a combined stiffening member and cushion of the shape shown in the drawings. This, as will be seen, is in the form of a rubber cap having a rounded end portion 1 which is thicker, and being providedwith rearwardly extending integral side and bottom portions 2. These integral side and bottom portions have holes 3 by means of which the rubber member may be secured in position, as explained later.

As will be seen from Figure 2, the rubber decreases in thickness toward the rear edges, so that at the rear edges of the side and bottom portions, it is relatively thin. The device is so shaped as to well cover the toe, the upper edge being well back of the front edge of the slipper. canized, so that it is fairly stiff, however, without being so stiff as to render it unyielding. In other words, the resiliency of the rubber is such as to cause a cushioning effect, as well as a stiffening effect.

In making the shoe, the rubber cap is preferably disposed between an outer cloth or canvas layer 4 and an inner layer 5. An outer sole 6, consisting of a single piece of leather, is provided with a welt 7, and the two canvas layers, with the intermediate portions of the rubber cap, are sewed to this bottom sole. The rear part of the upper of the slipper is preferably made of layers of canvas lined with some soft material, like kid, the edges being bound in a suitable The rubber cap is vul-.

manner, such as by tape. An inner sole 8 is provided, and this is preferably skived or beveled along its edge to conform to the welt on the outer sole 8. The inner sole is preferably nailed to the outer sole, and is covered with the usual kid or leather covering 9.

From Figure l, it will be seen that I have provided a slipper having a rubber reenforcement or cap, in lieu of the ordinary stiffening member, made up of layers of canvas held together by glue.

A slipper made in accordance with my invention does not require to be kneaded or worked, in order to render it comfortable. It is sufficiently stiff, so that it forms a good support, that enables one to dance on the toes with comparative ease. At the same time, the rubber is sufliciently resilient so as to overcome the inherent stiffness which is always present in new toe slippers made with the ordinary glue and canvas stiffening.

The cost of making the slipper is very little, if any, more than where the glue and canvas stiffening member is used, but the slipper will last much longer, since, as stated, when the glue and canvas stiffening in the ordinary toe slipper becomes soft, it will not fulfill the purpose for which it is intended, and the slipper must be discarded. The tendency, however, is to use the ordinary slipper, even after the stiffening has softened, and this is not only uncomfortable to the dancer, but in many cases it is actually painful. In the present instance, the shoe can be used until it is worn out, and since the reenforcing cap does not soften, the pain which accompanies the use of a worn out slipper of the ordinary kind is obviated.

I claim:

1. A slipper for toe dancers having a resilient toe cap for cushioning the thrust when the weight of the dancer is supported by said toe cap.

2. A slipper for toe dancers having a resilient toe cap for cushioning the thrust when the weight of the dancer is supported by said toe cap, and having integral side portions extending rearwardly therefrom.

3. A slipper for toe dancers having a resilient toe cap for cushioning the thrust when the weight of the dancer is supported by said too cap, said toe cap having a thickened portion at the front edge thereof, and having rearwardly extending reduced portions.

A slipper for toe dancers, comprising a rubber toe cap having a thickened portion at the end thereof, and reduced portions arranged to extend around and over the toes of the foot, said cap constituting a cushioning and a stiffening member, and a stiffening sole secured to said cap.

5. A slipper for toe dancers, comprising a rubber toe cap having a thickened portion at the end thereof, and reduced portions arranged to extend around and over the toes of; the foot, said cap constituting a cushion and a stiffening member, a stiffening sole secured to said cap, and a fabric upper portion secured to said sole and to said cap.

GENEVIEVE MEIER. 

